Tristan and Iseult

Source - Wikipedia

When I chanced upon a first edition paperback of this tragic tale at NPL, I realized that it was time to read this book at least once. And thankfully the copy I picked up was a rare edition…a translation of the original by Joseph Bedier. Unfortunately though I couldn’t recall the foreword although it was well written.

Tristan is born prince of Lothian to King Rivalin and a princess of Cornwall. The prince is so named by his mother who shortly dies. And this is just the beginning of the many tragedies that mark Tristan’s life. The prince grows up to be handsome knight, leaves his kingdom to serve King Mark of Cromwall, his uncle and only living relation. Tristan’s undying devotion and bravery earn him enemies at court who fearing his growing power pressurize King Mark to marry. And Tristan is goaded into winning Iseult, the fair and pretty maiden of Ireland as a wife for his aging uncle. A dabble with the love potion gone wrong, Tristan and Iseult irk their fates by throwing themselves into a nicely doomed affair. After many foiled attempts, the affair does come to the notice of King Mark who blindly condemns the lovers and takes the harshest of measures to separate the lovers. Tristan moves to Brittany and marries Iseult of the White Hands, a namesake both in beauty and well name while Iseult of Ireland returns into the good books of her husband. How a seemingly simple happy ending turns into one of the greatest tragedies of all times forms the rest of the story. And so I closed the book quietly as I realized the folly of naming my 3rd dog and Pomeranian Tristan.

Tristan is a beautiful name but a beauty attached with tragedy. As for the knight himself, he struck me as a guy who was perpetually grieving and I felt sorry for him for getting his fate sealed on the day of his birth. That apart, the qualities that bring him glory also mark his end. And with that conclusion I decided not to over analyze his actions nor those of Iseult’s.

The story originates from an Irish legend, a celtic romance between a knight and a beautiful maiden and was passed down generations in the form of poetry. While this tragic tale has been adapted and retold in various forms across Europe, the 19th century opera version composed by Richard Wagner takes the cake and is considered one of the most beautiful and influential pieces of music. A must read for patrons of classic literature.

Like Water for Chocolate

Source - Wikipedia

“Now where have I seen this story before?” was my first thought on reaching page 3 of the book. And then I recalled that this story was aired as a TV series on Zee Network a long time ago and was one of my favorites!

Like Water for Chocolate could be a story of 3 sisters but it is not. This unique story revolves around a Mexican girl Josefita or Tita De La Garza and of her struggle to reclaim her love and independence from her over-bearing mother Elena. The youngest of Elena’s 3 daughters, Tita is literally shown the cold shoulder by her mother since childhood and ever since she can remember, her only companion has been Nacha. Tita is made aware of her terrible fate when Elena forces Pedro to marry Rosaura instead of Tita and watches smugly as Tita suffers through the humiliation. This is but the beginning of Tita’s struggle to survive her mother, her quest to reclaim her love and happiness. However, Tita doesn’t suffer alone as her emotions affect her family and friends through her cooking..for Tita is lauded as the best cook in her community.

Written as a “Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies”, each chapter begins with a lovely traditional Mexican recipe which gradually transitions into the actual story continued from the previous installment. These installments also include a recipe for every ailment that ails the human heart and mind.

The story is anything but happy from the beginning. As you follow Tita’s tale, you can’t but help sympathize with Tita yet get annoyed at her for not rebelling hard to win her rights. Tita is described as being born in a flood of tears, resultant of Elena chopping onions. You can easily note the way Elena seems to shower more affection on Rosaura and Gertrudis while distancing herself from Tita, more so because Tita’s father died after her birth leaving Elena to cope with the family and the ranch. Also, Elena’s background and her inability to control her life is seen through her domination over her daughters perhaps with the exception of Gertrudis who seems to have created a soft spot for herself inside her mother’s heart. Gertrudis is one of the minor characters of the plot but her role brings hope to Tita…the hope and courage to break away from Elena’s shackles as does Dr. John and his brief role in Tita’s life.

Another unique theme, something I haven’t come across in other books is the family tradition wherein the youngest daughter has to care for her parents until their death and must remain unmarried to do so. I’ve heard of this tradition being followed by some families in Goa but not elsewhere. Elena revokes this tradition and when Tita tries to question the authenticity of this tradition, she is punished severely for her impudence. Rosaura’s attempts to invoke this tradition in the case of her only daughter though is thwarted. As for title, I’ll leave it to you to figure out as did the author Laura Esquirel.

On the whole though, this book is worth a read owing to its unique story, the setting and the characters…not to mention the wonderful recipes to try out!

Camille or The Lady of the Camellias

Camille was first published in 1848 and later converted to plays which have gained popularity over the novel. The novel’s well-written introduction proves to be a valuable guide and sets context on the contents and timeline of this novel. The author Alexander Dumas fils makes references to the tale of Manon Lescaut and Chevalier Des Greiux highlighting the contrasts between the characters and lifestyles of the 2 courtesans as well as their lovers.

Narrated by an unknown person, the novel begins with the death of Marguerite and the auctioning of her personal possessions by her creditors.  It is followed by the arrival of Armand Duval in Paris, and the narrator goes on to describe Duval’s efforts to exhume and re-bury Marguerite all of which adds a macabre twist to the story. Afterwards the chapters are narrated by Armand as he divulges his past to the unknown narrator and the story goes thus -

Marguerite is a well known courtesan in Paris and is, both admired and feared by men and women alike. Dumas attributes this to Marguerite’s strong yet sensitive spirit which akin to the delicacy of the Camellias creates an alluring persona. And Armand like many others before him falls hopelessly in love with Marguerite.

Dumas depicts Marguarite in a favorable light comparing her persona and presence to the light and delicate nature of the camellias yet she is shown to possess a strong spirit that is pure…untainted by her profession. And just as the camellias wither in a day, so is Marguerite’s death depicted…a result of her enduring suffering from tuberculosis. And in a bid to pacify the astonished audience and to leave no doubt of his disapproval of a Courtesan’s life, Dumas smartly attributes Marguerite’s suffering to God’s will…the final judgement perhaps.  The novel when taken without this allegory is a beauty in itself but takes on a heavy note once you start to ponder. The only exception to Armand’s character is that unlike the others before him, he proves his unwavering love by admitting his shortcomings freely and tracing Marguarite’s last moments until the very end.

Camille is also notable for its brilliantly detailed depiction of the parisian life and the world of courtesans during the 19th century in France. The book by itself is quite descriptive but it may also help to read it with the aid of a guide. Camille is definitely well worth the read and an addition to the personal collection!

Cat Among the Pigeons

Cat Among the Pigeons is probably my most favorite of the Hercule Poirot series. Yes I’ve read Miss Marple’s Murder at the Vicarage but that didn’t make as great an impression as this title did. And just yesterday, I finally got to watch the movie as well although the deviation in the plot was a tad bit of a disappointment.

Set against the backdrop of Meadowbank school the revolution at Ramat lays heavy upon this plot. The ruler of Ramat and his friend/confidant Bob Rawlinson are murdered by the rebels. Rumors are abound that the jewels of Ramat have reached Meadowbank through Jennifer Sutcliff, Rawlinson’s niece. Cut onto Meadownbank, the scene opens with the summer term where Miss Bulstrode and her teachers are busy welcoming new and old students. The atmosphere though is rife with an implied sense of doom. As term starts, Jennifer Sutcliff confides in Julia Upjohn her best friend and tennis partner about the robbery at her home. While Julia suspects that this maybe due to the Sutcliffs’ association with the Ramat events, Jennifer dismisses it as usual. This is soon followed by a murder at Meadowbank where the Sports Pavilion is ransacked and its sports mistress is murdered. The school’s image takes a further hit with the occurrence of 2 more murders involving the deputy headmistress and the french mistress . Julia pieces together the events and reaches out to Poirot for help. The question becomes – who is the cat among the pigeons?

As always Ms. Christie has woven a beautiful plot with its unique set of characters making this story unlike any other. The difference truly lies in the fact that she picked something as innocent as a school and its students everyday humdrum and turned it into a atmosphere befitting a crime scene. The participants are not the usual aristocracy or the police but regular students who are caught in the middle yet make it out alive. My favorite character apart from Poirot here is Julia Upjohn – her quickness for grasping the kinks in a situation, her knowledge of the general and foreign affairs coupled with her quick wittedness and common sense makes one believe that she is a detective in making. On the whole a brilliant novel worth a re-read and a special place in the private collection!

Two Hearts

Following the requests from fans to create a sequel to “The Last Unicorn“, Peter Beagle came up with a short story titled “Two Hearts” that follows the lives of the 4 protagonists – Schmendrick, Lir, Amalthea and Molly post the first book.

A village is plagued by a Griffin that attacks their cattle and children alike. When young Sooz looses her friends to the Griffin, she sets out for help to King Lir’s kingdom. Enroute she befriends Schmendrick and Molly who are also visiting their old friend. On reaching the kingdom, the group is aghast to discover that King Lir had aged so much but is still willing to take up the quest of slaying the Griffin.

The quest is on, King Lir and the Griffin head onto a fight. The fight does end in more than one death. As for Schmendrick, he is relegated to the sidelines watching his old friend battle the Griffin in vain. He is forbidden by Lir to use magic to help him. And does Amalthea make an appearance in this installment is what readers need to ponder on. Frankly its difficult to create a suspense here…the story begins and ends on a tragic note. There is everything except a happy-ending.

Also this brings out the question – What is magic useful for if it cannot be used in time of need or to defend oneself? Which again can be such a pondorous discussion. I didn’t think much of this sequel…its as if the sequel was written to shoo off further questions on what happens after The Last Unicorn. More like to keep the readers quiet. Not an enjoyable story at all.